New England Red won the NCR collegiate all-star championship with a hard-nosed forward effort and some very smart game management, holding off a tenacious Pacific Coast team 18-8.

The Pacific Coast made the final after coming from behind to beat New England White in dramatic fashion in the quarterfinal. It was the Grizzlies' third straight come-from-behind victory of the tournament. In the semis the Grizzlies, for once, didn't play in a nailbiter. Led by a superb effort from flyhalf Milaan Van Wyk of New Mexico Tech, and with scrumhalf Jonah Wolfe (Cal Maritime) workfing the tempo and scoring a try, the Pacific Coast kept a potent Southeast team at bay.

Two brilliant runs from Cal State Sonoma wing Devon McGee sealed a 24-5 win for the Grizzlies.

Meanwhile, New England Red controlled things against the Midwest in the quarters, and then in the semifinal survived a massively physical clash with Great Lakes. In that one New England took an early lead with a nifty backline move off the back of the scrum where flyhalf Mike Weir connected with Jasper Green (both Dartmouth) to put Northeastern Husky Ryan Connelly in at the corner. Weir then orchestrated the next try, putting a kick deep into the corner that Great lakes back Chief Chipfumbo (Wheeling) had no choice but to gather, whereupon he was summarily dispatched into touch by Harvard winger Jordan Mabuko. 

Lineout New England, and the Independents mualed it, with prop Jack Swords (Holy Cross) touching it down. Weir converted to make dit 12-0, and early in the second half added a key penalty, making it 15-0 and forcing Great Lakes to score three times.

They couldn't. A stumblin', rumblin' run from Wheeling's Mwanz Iye got them on the board, but New England was through to the final.

3rd Place

In the third-fourth game, Great Lakes exploded for 30 points in the 40-minute game, with Noah Mills (Western Michigan), Nate Curtis (Central Michigan), and Jeff Mutuku (Notre Dame College) all scoring impressive tries—Mutuku actually got two. The Thunderbirds unleashed a more adventurous approach in this game and it paid off. Southeast had played superbly on Day One, but seemed to be a bit beat up on Sunday.

The Final

The Final was tense and dramatic, as you'd want. Van Wyk got the Grizzlies moving and eventually some good ball movement put Sonoma State wing John Gblah over for a 5-0 lead. New England replied, kicking a penalty to the corner and seeing hooker Connor Robinson (correction, Dartmouth's Malcolm Robinson, playing No. 8) cap the drive for the try. Robinson, who has been a try machine for Boston College for some years, was indefatigable, and played every minute of every game—four hours of rugby over the weekend. 

Both teams battled in the breakdown and points were at a premium. That's why Weir pointed to the posts when the next kickable penalty was called. That kick made it 8-5 early in the second half, but moments later Killian Burns (Wayne State) equalized. So when New England got another penalty pretty far out and at an angle with six minutes to go, Weir didn't hesitate, pointed to the posts, and promptly put his side up 11-8.

Then a big play. Alvarro Borrego went on a big charging run down the sideline. He was caught but a bit of pushing and shoving between the two teams saw one from each side yellow-carded. New England, however, got the penalty for sealing off in the ruck, and went for the corner. Connor Robinson (Boston College) hit Ollie Corbett (Brown) with the throw—Corbett was really strong in the lineout all weekend—and after a drive, and a somewhat heroic stop from the Grizzlies, Matt Mitchell carried it over and Weir converted. That sealed it, and New England were champions.

It was an impressive showing from the Independents. Weir ran the attack and the tempo well, and Robinson was a force. But it was very much a team effort.

Throughout the weekend it was clear to see when players had collegiate teammates on the field with them, because they connected just that little bit better. It was the New Mexico Tech connection that helped fire Pacific Coast, and the Wheeling connection that helped Great Lakes. Weir and Green together on the inside of the backline for New England didn't hurt, either.

The biggest surprise on Sunday was Tri-State, which didn't look especially potent on Saturday, losing all three games, but after a close loss to Southeast, the Vikings slammed New England White and won convincingly over Mid-Atlantic to take 5th. Great Lakes took the Rising Star title, which was essentially a 2nd-side competition.

Players who were listed on Goff Rugby Report's top players lists showed why they were on those lists in the tournament. And, of course, the tournament showed its value. All you need to do is ask enthusiastic coaches to get a team together and they will figure out a way.

As one observer told GRR recently about all-star tournaments like this, "USA Rugby never had anything better for the money."

Order of Finish:
1. New England Red
2. Pacific Coast
3. Great Lakes
4. Southeast
5. Tri-State
6. Mid-Atlantic
7. Midwest
8. New England White